What is Quaker Bridge? Here’s some information.
In 2006, I was a rank amateur photographer, studying under the famous landscape photographer Steve Greer. He took me to this location to do a photo shoot of the beautiful pine barrens He told me that one has to get connected to the place and that we should wade into the Mullica river to get the best shots. I remember I didn’t have waders and Steve lent me a pair. What a great experience, I could feel the river in my blood and remember that wonderful experience, and I am forever grateful for that experience.
Early morning shoot at Quaker bridge with Steve Greer photographer.
The story of Quaker Bridge begins with the need to cross the Batsto or Mullica River at that place in present-day Washington Township. As Leah Blackman explains, that need arose primarily among members of the Society of Friends who attended a yearly meeting at Little Egg Harbor:
As before stated sometime during the youthful age of the meeting house, there was a yearly meeting established at Egg Harbor, which continued for a number of years, and Friends came from distant sections to the yearly meeting at Egg Harbor.
In the year 1772 John Churchman states that there was a large concourse of people at the yearly meeting then held at Little Egg Harbor [now Tuckerton]. Friends who came from the upper section of Burlington County crossed the east branch of Mullica river, at the place now known as Quaker Bridge. After fording the stream, they watered and fed their horses, and then sat down in the shade of a venerable and majestic oak tree and partook of the lunch they had brought with them. Fording the stream was not a very pleasant job, especially for people who were dressed in their “meeting garments,” and finally Little Egg Harbor Friends and Friends of the upper section of Burlington County, agreed to meet at the east branch of Mullica river, at the fording place, in order to construct a bridge as a more convenient way of crossing the stream. They met at the appointed time, and the banks of the stream being heavily timbered with large and primitive cedars a number of them were cut down, and a bridge constructed of them, and thus came about the name of Quaker Bridge, or as formerly called the “Quaker’s Bridge.”
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